Boss Roy Keane said he was delighted for his players, his staff and Town’s beleaguered supporters after the Blues defeated West Brom 1-0 at Portman Road to set up a Carling Cup semi-final with Arsenal. Grant Leadbitter’s 69th minute penalty was enough to see Town through to the last four of the competition for the first time in 10 years.

Keane said: “I’m delighted for the players, delighted for the staff, pleased for the supporters. It was important that we put on a performance tonight. You can put on a performance but that doesn’t guarantee a result, especially with the chances we were missing.

“I was pleased with the workrate, the character, the composure, the way some of the younger boys played and the lads who came back into the team. To get out of the hole we’re in at the moment is about characters and digging deep

“I’m pleased for everyone, particularly the supporters. I’ve said before, it’s been a frustrating time for them but it’s something to smile about. Now we need to focus for our league game on Saturday.”

The Blues boss was pleased with his side’s tempo from the off: “We started the game well, we didn’t want to get sucked into a game where we dropped back too much, we know the qualities West Brom have got, we saw them on Saturday [when they beat Everton 4-1]. We wanted to be high tempo, our widemen putting pressure on their full-backs.

“Tamás and Jason started well, Reggie did well, Andros. I thought all the players did well. Troy, Jaime Peters.

“There was a clean sheet, we kept 11 players on the pitch and we didn’t really make any basic errors tonight. Darren, Jaime, Troy and Tommy, when they had to clear it, they cleared it. We did the basics well and that gives you a chance.”

In his programme notes Keane echoed this week’s earlier comments regarding managers reaching a position where it is best for their club if they move on, but he says he’s not yet there with the Blues: “My point in the programme, don’t overanalyse it, is that sometimes it does come to a point where as a manager you say ‘it’s not quite happening’, but we’re not there yet.”

Keane learnt of Town’s next opponents during his post-match press conference, a note having been passed to him: “Good news, it’s Arsenal! There’s always a downside, isn’t there? We’ve got Chelsea around that time as well.”

Referring back to his comments about managers coming to the end of their time at clubs, he added: ”Hopefully, I’ll be here in January. I might be gone at the end of January though!

“You have to look forward to it but in terms of the draw it’s the hardest game we could have got. But it will be great for the players, great for the young players.”

Albion assistant head coach Eddie Newton pulled no punches with his post-match comments: “It was a poor performance without a shadow of a doubt. You don’t have to be an expert in football to know that it was a poor performance.

“Individually and collectively we were poor, we didn’t turn up, didn’t show enough desire and therefore paid the big price.”

The ex-Chelsea man said he and boss Roberto Di Matteo had no regrets at making nine changes from Saturday’s game: “We’ve been doing that from the beginning of the competition and we stuck by it and we showed faith in our players. They’d been doing very well until tonight.”

Newton felt the penalty which won the game might have come as a result of Town’s earlier strong claims: “Graham Dorrans hasn’t touched him, I think Edwards was on his way down outside the box, so the action started outside the box. For me it was a soft penalty.

“But the fact remains that we didn’t deserve anything out of the game anyway. Simple as that.”

Photo: Action Images

Mark added 12:50 - Dec 2 The fans were great last night. I should add that there were some chants of "you don't know what you're doing" at Keane when he took Townsend off though, as Andros was playing well and doing lots of attacking so it was a strange decision. I'm delighted about getting to the semi-final, but our "bread and butter" continues Saturday. We've been stuck on 24 points for nearly a month and badly need 3 points to get us away from the relegation zone. I too hope Keane sticks with an attacking side, as some of the players he was forced to play last night showed up how bad his recent tactics were. Let's hope we don't see lots of changes Saturday and a return to players out-of-position. Peters, O'Connor and Townsend all deserve a run in the team, not to be frozen out of the side again.

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SuperKieranMcKenna added 13:05 - Dec 2 Won't change my opionion of Keane after one game but what a night! Best moment of the last couple of years for me. Great atmosphere and staying fter the whistle to sing "que sera, sera" was a great moment.
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canarykiller18 added 13:12 - Dec 2 was a quality result, how ever the part time fans should get charged double for the game against arsenal!
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Simplyblue1984 added 13:20 - Dec 2 Agree with most comments on here that yes it was a great performance (and yes I went) but i am still not sure on RK. However rather than moan about my team and the manager I go along and support them...i SUPPORT ipswich through thick and thin. Do I think RK will take us up.....don't know but WHOEVER is in charge of my team I SUPPORT! Like most fans I am not happy but I don't boo the player or have a go at RK or ME I keep the faith and keep SUPPORTING them. I am sure all real fans will agree. BACK YOUR TEAM

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bluelady added 13:23 - Dec 2 Mark lets hope he was saving Townsend for Saturday as he hasnt played too much lately?? Was also good to see O Connor given a go and i think WB had begun to realise what a threat Townsend was so changing it actually for once wasnt a bad decision!
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Keaneish added 13:31 - Dec 2 Lightingboy - Priskin does need to improve in front of goal but his movement's becoming a real handful for defenders and really starting to stretch back 4's. I'd like to see him and Wickham get a decent run together when Wickham's fit as i don't think scotland is quite at it at the moment.
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mark1969 added 14:01 - Dec 2 Fantastic result , missed game due to a boring Dinner function ,my comments of yesterday came true , supporters stop picking on each other ,still this morning we now have pro -Keane supporters crowing , unite support the team , the players showed they can earn the money ,Keane at last got the tactics right , supporters and players alike recharge your batteries , lets make it fortress Portman Road again , bring on Swansea lets bury them and send them back to Wales with nil points !!!

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IITFC1948 added 14:07 - Dec 2 To all you TRUE FANS who could not make it last night (for reasons i can understand.) try asking FATHER CHRISTMAS if you can have a ticket for the Arsenal game, you misssed a goodone last night.As for saturday NO DELANEY PLEASE as me think it was him who cost us sunday trying to show of his skills to the nation, (remember we are on tv again) as we where still in with a shout with 11men COYB

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mark1969 added 14:18 - Dec 2 iitfc1948 some of us have to work as well if you mean me !! I just want all the support to unite and get behind the team , so we all work together that must help in the long run !! I will try to get Arsenal tickets home and away and probably will not be able to speak the day after each game . Agree with you on Delaney as i was in line with his error on Sunday he was far too casual and yes that meant i was guest of a Norwich fan and they all rounded on me afterwards , it was not a great day .No more Budgie hospitality for me , back to the real fans in future !!! Bring on Swansea!!

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brian_a_mul added 14:19 - Dec 2 1-0 well deserved win. Peters was good, Priskin was very lively and kept the back 4 on their toes. Townsend was a real threat when he attacked the full backs. Norris diddnt stop running, he was every where! I thought Murphs had a decent game. Had one or two hairy moments but pulled of some great saves and kept clean sheet. He was a little nervous, this was his first game of this stature and will do him the world of good!

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IITFC1948 added 14:33 - Dec 2 mark1969 I didnt mean you or anyone else i said"for reasons i can understand" .I cant get to Arsenal away because ive got to bloody work
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corshamblue added 14:47 - Dec 2 Tamas just gets better, once he starts to click with Jason Scotland we've go a front two that's scare the living Sh*t out of most Championship back lines, and just when they think it's save we can release the Kraken (Connor Wickham) Oh how I wish. COYB. Well done Town Fans last night, 10k real fans. Lets hope we have 20K in good voice Saturday.
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jas0999 added 17:30 - Dec 2 Well done Roy - more of the same on Saturday please. People have to accept (like it or not) that Marcus Evans will NOT sack a manager that has led us to a semi-final of a national cup for the first time in 10 years. Rightly he will see that as progress. Therefore, rather than keep slating Roy, let's support the TEAM. COYB's!
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bluelady added 19:27 - Dec 2 Jas if we see more of what we did last night only the odd few will slate him, he just needs to repeat that kind of form, tactics and drivein the league and he will be back in everyones good books! Back to old ways saturday and faith will be lost.... I say my heart out last night and for once i felt rewarded, still buzzing!
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camblue added 19:43 - Dec 2 Felt absolutely elated at the final whistle,why oh why can't we play with that sort of formation every game? entertainment from start to finish.Supporting Ipswich really does have it's highs and lows, what a great result after Sundays defeat.COYB.
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WarkyWonderLand added 20:51 - Dec 2 It is great that we live in a democracy and we can all have our own views on life and about our team. It now seems that we are being divided as to who are "real fans" and "true fans". So it is only the 10,000 of us who went last night are those and I disagree with this. The one thing that "real" and "true fans" want is for ITFC (our team) to be successful and achieve its full potential. There will always be differences of views and opinions and that is no different to other clubs. I work with an Everton fan and he heard someone say on the radio that Moyes should be sacked!! We have over 14,000 season ticket holders so for those season ticket holders who didn't go does that mean that they are not "real fans". I don't think so cos they are the backbone of our support. There are a number of problems/reasons for the low attendance last night which include:- - the dire football served up by RK for the last 2 months and results - RK's rant at fans - the very poor performance on Sunday with lack of passion - the cost of advance tickets and tickets on the gate I also work with Arsenal fans and they paid £20 for their game against Wigan! In the evening standard tonight QPR were advertising a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) for £30 against Watford. What incentive have we had this season to get more supporters to PR? The one occasion against Cardiff. ME and Clegg could have made the decision to charge a flat £20 for last night and they would have had more advance tickets sold. There are genuine "real" fans who just can't afford 3 games in the space of 6 days, especially at this time of year. Thats a FACT. I supported RK last year and what has turned me this year is the dire performances (we don't go for it enough), his formation and tactics and the continuing excuses that come from him. What I have stated on here about squad size, signings, balance to side are all FACTS. Where has been the progress? Had he have actually played Priskin last year and given him a run we would have probably seen the player that he is now developing into. RK did not give him that chance. Lets hope that RK sees sense and the balance from last night and stick with it and go for it. PLEASE PLEASE don't bring Jack back on the left. When I saw Troy Brown play at Reading he was pretty solid. Where was he next game. Nowhere. How can that build up a young player? Had we have lost last night then those people coming on quoting "the real fans" etc would not have been on here today. We are all in it together and lets hope RK keeps the same shape and go for it on Saturday. Had he had done that through September, October and November we would probably be top 6. The 4 centre halfs and 4 central midfielders will never work, even if they were all world class players. I agree with Bluelady, its now all about Saturday and we need another performance and result. COYB

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runaround added 21:22 - Dec 2 I think Saturdays team selection will tell us a lot about Keane, if he keeps the shape and tactics the same as yesterday then it seems he will have finally realised what is best for the team. However if he unbalances it all by for instance playing 2 left footed centrehalves and playing Colback wide, then he has learnt nothing and in my opinion is not the right man for the job. I hope and pray he does the former and once again tells the lads to go out there to attack and try to win the match by passing the ball. Then as we saw last night, the fans will react positively

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runaround added 22:09 - Dec 2 Have to disagree with people saying the atmosphere was good last night because the moaners weren't there. Yes it was as good an atmosphere as we've created at home all season but thats probably due to the fact that the performance was a good as we've had at home all season. Good attacking, entertaining full of effort football will get the fans backing and increase the atmosphere with any moans being drowned out. It's up to Keane and the players to do their bit then I'm sure, as happened last night, the fans will do their bit too

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bobble added 00:30 - Dec 3 warkywonderland how do you think evans became rich ? by ripping people off like all rich bas-ards..............SACK KEANE........
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